Page 339 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

306 Part 3 Putting Theory Into Practice
This speaker’s posture undermines his
message.
This speaker demon-
strates good posture.
Regulating audience feedback is particularly important
when a speaker answers audience questions. Without reg-
ulation, such question-and-answer sessions can turn ugly.
Posture
This dimension is obviously related to movement, ges-
tures, and your overall appearance. Posture is vital to your
delivery and the manner in which it is received. People
make all kinds of attributions about speakers on the basis
of their posture, ranging from how confi dent a speaker is
to how seriously the speaker takes the topic and the situ-
ation. At the least, consequently, you will want to guard
against an audience making an incorrect attribution about
you because you slouched, folded your arms across your
chest, stood with one hand on your hip, or put your hands
in your pockets.
Because the norms governing appropriate posture vary
across cultures, there are no hard-and-fast rules for speak-
ers to follow. Still, given what we know generally about
the culture of the beginning public speaking class, there
are some steps you can follow to achieve a good posture
for delivering your speeches. Remember that the more
you slouch and shrink posturally, the less powerful you
are likely to be perceived. Remember as well that posture
infl uences the mechanics of your voice. Standing with
shoulders back stretches the diaphragm and opens the air
passages. That’s one reason opera singers invariably have
good posture. It helps them use their voice to full effect.